Transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval in cattle: State-of-the-art and its impact on the in vitro fertilization embryo production outcome.

Transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval (commonly called OPU) and in vitro embryo production (IVP) in cattle has shown significant progress in recent years, in part, as a result of a better understanding of the full potential of these tools by end users. The combination of OPU and IVP (OPU-IVP) has been successfully and widely commercially used worldwide. The main advantages are a greater number of embryos and pregnancies per unit of time, faster genetic progress due to donor quick turn around and more elite sires mating combinations, larger spectrum of female age (calves, prepuberal, heifer, cow) and condition (open, pregnant) from which to retrieve oocytes, a reduced number of sperm (even sexed) required to fertilize the oocytes, among other benefits.

Extracellular Volume Fraction by Computed Tomography Predicts Long-Term Prognosis Among Patients With Cardiac Amyloidosis.

Background: Light chain (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR) amyloid fibrils are deposited in the extracellular space of the myocardium, resulting in heart failure and premature mortality. Extracellular expansion can be quantified by computed tomography, offering a rapid, cheaper, and more practical alternative to cardiac magnetic resonance, especially among patients with cardiac devices or on renal dialysis.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the association of extracellular volume fraction by computed tomography (ECV), myocardial remodeling, and mortality in patients with systemic amyloidosis.

Care Coordination Program for Children With Complex Chronic Conditions Discharged From a Rural Tertiary-Care Academic Medical Center.

Objectives: Hospital discharge offers an opportunity to initiate coordination of follow-up care, preventing readmissions or emergency department (ED) recidivism. We evaluated how revisits and costs of care varied in a 12-month period between children in a care coordination program at our center (enrolled after hospital discharge with a tracheostomy or on a ventilator) and children with complex chronic condition discharges who were not enrolled.

Methods: Children ages 1 to 17 years were retrospectively included if they had a hospital discharge in 2017 with an code meeting complex chronic condition criteria or if they were in active follow-up with the care coordination program.

Prevalence of abnormal semen analysis and levels of adherence with fertility preservation in men undergoing therapy for newly diagnosed cancer: A retrospective study in 2906 patients.

Background: Sperm cryopreservation (freezing) should be offered to all men with cancer due to risk of infertility. However, many men with cancer already have impaired spermatogenesis prior to sperm cryopreservation. Furthermore, physical ill-health may hinder attendance of freeze visits.

Effect of obesity on patterns and mechanisms of injury: Systematic review and meta analysis.

Background: Trauma is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality globally, especially in younger populations. With an increase in obesity globally, it is important to assess the potential differences in injury pattern and management of obese patients presenting with trauma compared to lean patients to try and improve patient care. This study aims to review the available literature comparing injury patterns between obese and non-obese patients.

Synergistic Role of Newer Techniques for Forensic and Postmortem CT Examinations.

Objective: The aim of this article is to provide an overview of newer techniques and postprocessing tools that improve the potential impact of CT in forensic situations.

Conclusion: CT has become a standard tool in medicolegal practice. Postmortem CT is an essential aid to the pathologist during autopsies.

Deep Sequencing Insights in Therapeutic shRNA Processing and siRNA Target Cleavage Precision.

TT-034 (PF-05095808) is a recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8) agent expressing three short hairpin RNA (shRNA) pro-drugs that target the hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA genome. The cytosolic enzyme Dicer cleaves each shRNA into multiple, potentially active small interfering RNA (siRNA) drugs. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) to identify and characterize active shRNAs maturation products, we observed that each TT-034-encoded shRNA could be processed into as many as 95 separate siRNA strands.

Investigation of NRXN1 deletions: clinical and molecular characterization.

Deletions at 2p16.3 involving exons of NRXN1 are associated with susceptibility for autism and schizophrenia, and similar deletions have been identified in individuals with developmental delay and dysmorphic features. We have identified 34 probands with exonic NRXN1 deletions following referral for clinical microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization.

High-resolution array CGH defines critical regions and candidate genes for microcephaly, abnormalities of the corpus callosum, and seizure phenotypes in patients with microdeletions of 1q43q44.

Microdeletions of 1q43q44 result in a recognizable clinical disorder characterized by moderate to severe intellectual disability (ID) with limited or no expressive speech, characteristic facial features, hand and foot anomalies, microcephaly (MIC), abnormalities (agenesis/hypogenesis) of the corpus callosum (ACC), and seizures (SZR). Critical regions have been proposed for some of the more prominent features of this disorder such as MIC and ACC, yet conflicting data have prevented precise determination of the causative genes. In this study, the largest of pure interstitial and terminal deletions of 1q43q44 to date, we characterized 22 individuals by high-resolution oligonucleotide microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization.

Examination of DNA methyltransferase expression in cloned embryos reveals an essential role for Dnmt1 in bovine development.

In studies of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), the ability of factors within the oocyte to epigenetically reprogram transferred nuclei is essential for embryonic development of the clone to proceed. However, irregular patterns of X-chromosome inactivation, abnormal expression of imprinted genes, and genomic DNA hypermethylation are frequently observed in reconstructed embryos, suggesting abnormalities in this process. To better understand the epigenetic events underlying SCNT reprogramming, we sought to determine if the abnormal DNA methylation levels observed in cloned embryos result from a failure of the oocyte to properly reprogram transcription versus differential biochemical regulation of the DNA methyltransferase family of enzymes (DNMTs) between embryonic and somatic nuclei.

{Ba[Au(SCN)(2)](2)}(n): a three-dimensional net comprised of monomeric and trimeric gold(I) units.

The noteworthy structural feature of the title complex, poly[acetonitrile-tetra-μ(2)-thio-cyanato-barium(II)digold(I)], {[Au(2)Ba(SCN)(4)(CH(3)CN)]}(n), is that the bis-(thio-cyanato)-aurate(I) anion adopts both monomeric and trimeric motifs. The trimer unit has an Au⋯Au distance of 3.1687 (3) Å.

Impact of genotype-first diagnosis: the detection of microdeletion and microduplication syndromes with cancer predisposition by aCGH.

Background: The use of microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization has allowed the genetic diagnosis of some conditions before their full clinical presentation. This "genotype-first" diagnosis has the most clinical implications for genomic alterations that confer an elevated risk of cancer. In these cases, diagnosis before the manifestation of the patient's full phenotype dramatically impacts genetic counseling, clinical management, and eventual prognosis and survivability.

catena-Poly[[(6,7,9,10,17,18,20,21-octa-hydro-5,8,11,16,19,22-hexa-oxadibenzo[a,j]cyclo-octa-decene)barium]-di-μ-thio-cyanato-[thio-cyanato-diaurate(I)(Au-Au)]-μ-thio-cyanato].

In the title compound, [Au(2)Ba(NCS)(4)(C(20)H(24)O(6))](n), the dithio--cyanato-aurate(I) anion adopts a dimeric structure with an Au⋯Au distance of 3.1109 (10) Å; both Au(I) atoms are also bonded to two S atoms. The Ba(II) ion adopts an irregular BaN(3)O(6) geometry, arising from the crown ether and three adjacent thio-cyanate N atoms; the extended structure of the complex can be described as a one-dimensional coordination polymer generated by the Ba⋯N inter-actions (two on the endo side and one on the exo side of the crown ether) running parallel to the b axis, with an anti-parallel arrangement of ribbons in the unit cell.

A cell-based assay to assess the persistence of action of agonists acting at recombinant human beta(2) adrenoceptors.

Introduction: The aim was to establish a robust, 96-well, cell-based assay to assess the potency and persistence of action of agonists acting at human recombinant beta(2) adrenoceptors expressed in CHO (Chinese Hamster Ovary) cells and to compare this with published duration of action data in guinea pig isolated trachea and human bronchus.

Methods: Cells were treated with either: (i) beta-adrenoceptor agonist for 30 min, washed and cyclicAMP (cAMP) measured 30 min later-termed 'washed' cells or, (ii) treated with solvent for 30 min, washed, and then treated with beta-adrenoceptor agonist for 30 min and cAMP measured-termed 'unwashed' cells. The 'washed' EC(50) was divided by the 'unwashed' EC(50) to determine a rightward shift concentration ratio, which was indicative of the persistence of action at the receptor.

Social integration and life and family satisfaction in survivors of injury at 5 years postinjury.

This study assessed the relationship of social integration (SI) to life satisfaction and family satisfaction among survivors 5 years after injury. Thirty-four matched pairs of injured patients were interviewed by telephone 60 months after initial discharge from the acute care setting. Respondents were matched according to sex, race, education, injury severity, and employment status before comparing high and low socially integrated persons on measures of family and life satisfaction.

Depression and life satisfaction in patients with traumatic brain injury: a longitudinal study.

Primary Objective: To assess the relationship between depression and life satisfaction among survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) over a 3-year period after injury. It was hypothesized that survivors of TBI with depression would have decreased life satisfaction.

Research Design: Two groups (depression vs no depression) longitudinal design.

Invasive mold infections in allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients.

Invasive mold infections (IMIs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients who are undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). To examine the epidemiology, risk factors, and outcome of IMIs in allogeneic BMT recipients, all cases of mold infection among 94 adult patients who underwent allogeneic BMT at this institution from 1 January 1997 through 31 December 1998 were reviewed retrospectively. Fifteen cases of IMI were identified; infection occurred a median of 102 days after BMT.

Rehabilitation of below-knee amputees: factors influencing outcome and costs in three programmes.

The components of three different rehabilitation programmes were analysed to determine the factors that influence functional outcomes and prosthetic costs. Age and additional health problems showed little relationship to inpatient activity level while the physical health status score had a significant relationship. The level of expectation in the rehabilitation programmes for walking independently with canes or without aids at discharge was shown to have a strong influence on the activity level attained and the length of rehabilitation stay.

Influence of forage level on passage rate, digestibility and performance of cattle.

Two trials (feedlot and metabolism) were conducted to evaluate the influence of level of chopped tall fescue hay (FH) in high concentrate diets on average daily gain (ADG), liquid and particulate passage rates, digestibility and in situ digestibility of corn. In the feedlot trial, 36 Hereford steers were fed diets containing 15, 30 and 50% FH in combination with 74, 59 and 39% whole shelled corn (WSC) and a soybean meal supplement. Steers offered 15, 30 and 50% FH consumed 9.