scholarly journals Identification of measures predictive of age of puberty onset in gilts

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 285-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kody L Graves ◽  
Bethany R Mordhorst ◽  
Elane C Wright ◽  
Benjamin J Hale ◽  
Kenneth J Stalder ◽  
...  

Abstract A potential indicator of female lifetime productivity in swine is age of puberty, when a gilt achieves her first behavioral estrus. Follicular activity, as determined by tertiary follicle development, in prepubertal gilts begins during postnatal day (PND) 75 to 115. The central hypothesis of this study is that gilts demonstrating tertiary follicle development earlier in life, assessed using vulva size as a proxy, achieve puberty earlier in life compared with counterparts of a similar age and weight that lack tertiary follicle development. The objectives of this project were to identify a developmental time point when variation in ovarian development exists and to determine whether a relationship between the age prepubertal ovarian development and the age at onset of puberty exists. To accomplish this, 155 gilts of similar age (± 2 d) were weighed and vulva size measured on PND 75, 85, 95, 105, and 115. Vulva measures, including vulva width (VW), vulva length (VL), and vulva area (VA), were utilized as developmental proxies for follicular activity. At each time point, gilts (n = 10) were sacrificed and ovarian follicular activity recorded. In a subset of gilts (n = 105), estrus detection was conducted daily on PND days 126 to 200. Mean VA on PND 75, 85, 95, 105, and 115 was 596 ± 206, 683 ± 190, 864 ± 212, 1014 ± 228, and 1265 ± 252 mm2, respectively. Of the gilts demonstrating behavioral estrus, 28 were within PND 140 to 160, 36 between PND 161 to 180, 15 between PND 181 to 200, and 26 did not demonstrate estrus behavior within 200 d of age. All gilts euthanized at PND 75 lacked follicular activity as defined by having a minimum of 2 antral follicles per ovary, whereas 60%, 80%, 90%, and 100% demonstrated follicular activity on PND 85, 95, 105, and 115, respectively. Body weight at PND 75 and VW at PND 115 were correlated to age at first estrus (P < 0.05). Of the gilts whose VA was less than 1 SD from the mean on PND 95 (i.e., <652 mm2), 31% and 50% demonstrated their first behavioral estrus by PND 180 and 200, respectively. However, of gilts whose VA was within or greater than 1 SD of the mean (i.e., ≥652 mm2), 66% and 79% exhibited estrus prior to PND 180 and 200, respectively. These data support utilization of VA changes between 95 and 115 d of age as a useful tool to identify replacement gilts prior to puberty for inclusion into the sow herd.

Genetics ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 157 (3) ◽  
pp. 1257-1265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsiao-Pei Yang ◽  
Ana Y Tanikawa ◽  
Wayne A Van Voorhies ◽  
Joana C Silva ◽  
Alexey S Kondrashov

Abstract We induced mutations in Drosophila melanogaster males by treating them with 21.2 mm ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS). Nine quantitative traits (developmental time, viability, fecundity, longevity, metabolic rate, motility, body weight, and abdominal and sternopleural bristle numbers) were measured in outbred heterozygous F3 (viability) or F2 (all other traits) offspring from the treated males. The mean values of the first four traits, which are all directly related to the life history, were substantially affected by EMS mutagenesis: the developmental time increased while viability, fecundity, and longevity declined. In contrast, the mean values of the other five traits were not significantly affected. Rates of recessive X-linked lethals and of recessive mutations at several loci affecting eye color imply that our EMS treatment was equivalent to ∼100 generations of spontaneous mutation. If so, our data imply that one generation of spontaneous mutation increases the developmental time by 0.09% at 20° and by 0.04% at 25°, and reduces viability under harsh conditions, fecundity, and longevity by 1.35, 0.21, and 0.08%, respectively. Comparison of flies with none, one, and two grandfathers (or greatgrandfathers, in the case of viability) treated with EMS did not reveal any significant epistasis among the induced mutations.


Pteridines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-60
Author(s):  
Haoyu Jiang ◽  
Ying Zheng ◽  
Chang Liu ◽  
Ying Bao

AbstractBackground To evaluate sulfentanyl combined with dexmedetomidine hydrochloride on postoperative analgesia in patients who received video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and its effects on serum norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and prostaglandin (PGE2).Material and Methods Ninety-nine non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received VATS were included in the study. All the patients received intravenous inhalation compound anesthesia. Of the 99 cases, 49 subjects (control group) received sulfentanyl for patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PICA) and other 50 cases (experiment group) received sulfentanyl combined with dexmedetomidine hydrochloride for PICA after operation of VATS. The analgesic effects of the two groups were evaluated according to Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) and the Bruggrmann Comfort Scale (BCS). The serum pain mediator of NE, DA, 5-HT, and PGE2 were examined and compared between the two groups in the first 24 h post-surgery.Results The VAS scores for the experiment group were significant lower than that of control group on the time points of 8, 16, and 24 h post-surgery (pall<0.05), and the BCS scores of the experiment group in the time points of 8, 16, and 24 h were significantly higher than that of controls (p<0.05). However, the VAS and BCS scores were not statistical differently in the time point of 1, 2, and 4 h post-surgery (pall>0.05). The mean sulfentanyl dosage was 63.01 ± 5.14 μg and 67.12 ± 6.91 μg for the experiment and control groups respectively with significant statistical difference (p<0.05). The mean analgesic pump pressing times were 4.30 ± 1.31 and 5.31 ± 1.46 for experiment and control groups respectively with significant statistical difference (p<0.05). The serum NE, DA, 5-HT, and PGE2 levels were significantly lower in the experimental group compared to that of control group in the time point of 12 h post-surgery (pall<0.05). The side effects of nausea, vomiting, delirium, rash, and hypotension atrial fibrillation were not statistically different between the two groups (pall>0.05).Conclusion Patient controlled intravenous analgesia of sulfentanyl combined with dexmedetomidine hydrochloride was effective in reducing the VAS score and serum pain mediators in NSCLC patients who received VAST.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1629.2-1629
Author(s):  
K. Ben Abdelghani ◽  
Y. Gzam ◽  
A. Fazaa ◽  
S. Miladi ◽  
K. Ouenniche ◽  
...  

Background:Axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA) is a chronic rheumatic disease that mainly affects men. However, the female form of ax-SpA remains insufficiently studied.Objectives:The aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics, the disease activity and the functional impact of female ax-SpA in comparison with male ax-SpA.Methods:This is a retrospective study including patients diagnosed with ax-SpA fulfilling the criteria of the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) 2009.Clinical parameters, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) and Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI) were compared between groups of female and male ax-SpA.Results:Two hundred ax-SpA patients were included with 31% of female (n=62) and a mean age of 43,3 ± 11,2 years.The mean age at onset of symptoms was 31,8 ± 8,9 years for women and 25,3 ± 9,1 years for men (p <0,0001). The mean age at diagnosis was 36,4 ± 9,6 years for women and 31,7 ± 10,4 years for men (p = 0,003). Ax-SpA with juvenile onset was noted in 1,7% of women and 12,1% of men (p = 0,02). Male ax-SpA were significantly more smokers (46.8% vs 5.4%; p <0.001). The mean duration of morning stiffness was 11,3 ± 9,2 minutes for women versus 21,6 ± 19,3 minutes for men (p = 0,005).The mean ESR was 42,4 ± 29,8 mm for women and 28,3 ± 23,4 mm for men (p = 0,001). Radiographic sacroiliitis was present in 69,3% of women versus 84,7% of men (p = 0,01). The use of anti-TNF alpha was less frequent in women (29% vs 48,5%; p = 0,01).Our study didn’t found a statistically significant difference in peripheral manifestations, extraarticular manifestations, CRP, BASDAI and BASFI between the two groups.Conclusion:Female ax-SpA seems to have a better prognosis than male with older age in disease onset, less inflammation, less radiographic sacroiliitis and less use of biological treatments.References:[1]Rusman T, et al. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2018; 20(6).[2]Siar N, et al. Curr Rheumatol Rev. 2019;Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1272.1-1272
Author(s):  
M. Ben Majdouba ◽  
S. Boussaid ◽  
S. Rekik ◽  
S. Jemmali ◽  
H. Ajlani ◽  
...  

Background:Work productivity of patients with spondyloarthritis is frequently affected by their disease.Objectives:We aim to identify disease-related factors associated with poor work productivity in patients with spondyloarthritis.Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed in patients with spondyloarthritis. Data on disease characteristics were collected as well as specific indices: Visual analogue scale (VAS) for fatigue and pain, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score with CRP (ASDAS-CRP), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functionnel Index (BASFI) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI). EuroQol-5D (EQ5D) was used to assess health-related quality of life. Work productivity was assessed by the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment scale (WPAI:SpA). Factors associated with presenteeism, absenteeism and work productivity loss were evaluated.Results:One hundred patients were enrolled (73 men and 27 women); mean age was 43.68 ± 10.3 years. Fifty nine percent of patients were employed, 26% were off work and 15% were retired of which 8% were in early retirement. Sixty seven percent of patients had ankylosing spondylitis, 17% had rheumatism associated with inflammatory bowel disease and 16% had psoriatic rheumatism. The average disease duration was 12.24 ± 8.73 years. Mean age at onset was 33.2 ± 10 years [18-59]. The average diagnostic delay was 2.41 ± 3 years; it was more than five years in 17% of cases. Sacroiliac pain has been noted in 69 patients, lumbar or cervical stiffness in 78 patients and peripheral joint involvement in 18 cases. Thirty one percent of patients had hip joint involvement and 49% had extra-articular manifestation. Fifty percent had inflammatory biological syndrome, 63% were treated with anti-TNFα and 58% needed symptomatic treatment regularly. The mean fatigue and pain VAS was respectively 5.58 ± 2.5 and 5.56 ± 2.9. The mean BASDAI was 4.4 ± 2.4, the average BASFI was 4.6 ± 2.7 and the average ASDAS-CRP was 2.77 ± 1.18. The mean BASMI was 4.4 ± 2.8. The mean EQ5D score was 0.485 ± 0.378. Among employed patients, mean absenteeism, presenteeism and work productivity loss was 21.8 ± 33.13%, 42 ± 32% and 46.5 ± 35.31%, respectively. These work outcomes were correlated to diagnostic delay ≥ 2 years (p<0.03), peripheral joint involvement (p=0.006), psoriasis (p=0.02), inflammatory biological syndrome (p<0.001), need of symptomatic treatment (p=0.001), fatigue and pain VAS ≥ 4 (p<0.001), BASDAI ≥ 4 (p<0.001), ASDAS-CRP ≥ 2.1 (p<0.001), BASFI ≥ 4 (p<0.001), BASMI ≥ 4 (p=0.002) and low EQ5D score (p<0.001). Work productivity loss was in addition correlated to age at onset < 25 years (p=0.03).Conclusion:Active disease, reduced physical function and poorer quality of life are associated with reduced work productivity. Early diagnosis and good disease management especially fatigue and pain can potentially improve work outcomes in patients with spondyloarthritis.Disclosure of Interests:None declared.


SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Dauvilliers ◽  
Lucie Barateau ◽  
Regis Lopez ◽  
Anna Laura Rassu ◽  
Sofiene Chenini ◽  
...  

Abstract Study Objectives To define clinically relevant Narcolepsy Severity Scale (NSS) score ranges, confirm its main performances and sensitivity to medications, and determine whether items need to be weighted. Methods One hundred and forty-three consecutive untreated and 238 treated adults with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) completed the NSS, a 15-item self-administered questionnaire (score: 0–57) that assesses the severity and consequences of the five major narcolepsy symptoms such as daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and disturbed nighttime sleep (DNS). They also completed the Epworth Sleepiness scale (ESS; daytime sleepiness), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; depressive symptoms), and EQ5D (quality of life). Results The mean symptom number (4.3 vs 3.5), NSS total score (33.3 ± 9.4 vs 24.3 ± 10.2), and number of narcolepsy symptoms (five symptoms: 53.1% vs 24.8%; four symptoms: 26.6% vs 22.7%; three symptoms: 15.4% vs 32.4%; two symptoms: 4.9% vs 20.2%) were significantly different between untreated and treated patients (p &lt; 0.0001). DNS was often the third symptom (95.5 per cent). The symptom number was associated with diagnosis delay, age at onset, and ESS and BDI scores. Comparisons with ESS, BDI and EQ5D showed that NSS item weighting was not necessary to highlight between-group differences. Four NSS severity levels were defined (mild, moderate, severe, and very severe) with between-group differences related to treatment. The probability of having ESS ≥ 16, BDI ≥ 20, and EQ-5D &lt; 60 increased with the severity level. Conclusion NSS is valid, reliable, and responsive to treatment in patients with NT1, with four clinically relevant severity score ranges provided. NSS has adequate clinimetric properties for broadening its use for both clinic and research.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
A-Yong Yu ◽  
Hua Guo ◽  
Qin-Mei Wang ◽  
Fang-Jun Bao ◽  
Jing-Hai Huang

Objective. To investigate mydriatic effect of intracamerally injected epinephrine hydrochloride during phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.Methods. Eighteen cataract patients for bilateral phacoemulsification were enrolled. To dilate pupil, one eye was randomly selected to receive intracamerally 1 mL epinephrine hydrochloride 0.001% for 1 minute after corneal incision (intracameral group), and the contralateral eye received 3 drops of compound tropicamide 0.5% and phenylephrine 0.5% at 5-minute intervals 30 minutes before surgery (topical group). Pupil diameters were measured before corneal incision, before ophthalmic viscoelastic device (OVD) injection, after OVD injection, before IOL implantation, and at the end of surgery.Results. At each time point, the mean pupil diameter in the intracameral group was2.20±0.08,5.09±0.20,6.76±0.19,6.48±0.18, and5.97±0.24 mm, respectively, and in the topical group it was7.98±0.15,7.98±0.15,8.53±0.14,8.27±0.16, and7.93±0.20 mm, respectively. The topical group consistently had larger mydriatic effects than the intracameral group (P<0.05). The onset of mydriatic effect was rapid in the intracameral group. There was no difference in surgical performance or other parameters between groups.Conclusions. Intracameral epinephrine hydrochloride appears to be an alternative to the mydriatic modalities for phacoemulsification and IOL implantation. In comparison with topical mydriatics, intracameral epinephrine hydrochloride offers easier preoperative preparation, more rapid pupil dilation, and comparable surgical performance.


2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (9) ◽  
pp. 1903-1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Dekker ◽  
J. Meijer ◽  
M. Koeter ◽  
W. van den Brink ◽  
N. van Beveren ◽  
...  

BackgroundCannabis use is associated with an earlier age at onset of psychotic illness. The aim of the present study was to examine whether this association is confounded by gender or other substance use in a large cohort of patients with a non-affective psychotic disorder.MethodIn 785 patients with a non-affective psychotic disorder, regression analysis was used to investigate the independent effects of gender, cannabis use and other drug use on age at onset of first psychosis.ResultsAge at onset was 1.8 years earlier in cannabis users compared to non-users, controlling for gender and other possible confounders. Use of other drugs did not have an additional effect on age at onset when cannabis use was taken into account. In 63.5% of cannabis-using patients, age at most intense cannabis use preceded the age at onset of first psychosis. In males, the mean age at onset was 1.3 years lower than in females, controlling for cannabis use and other confounders.ConclusionsCannabis use and gender are independently associated with an earlier onset of psychotic illness. Our findings also suggest that cannabis use may precipitate psychosis. More research is needed to clarify the neurobiological factors that make people vulnerable to this precipitating effect of cannabis.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S211-S211
Author(s):  
N. Smaoui ◽  
L. Zouari ◽  
N. Charfi ◽  
M. Maâlej-Bouali ◽  
N. Zouari ◽  
...  

IntroductionAge of onset of illness may be useful in explaining the heterogeneity among older bipolar patients.ObjectiveTo examine the relationship of age of onset with clinical, demographic and behavioral variables, in older patients with bipolar disorder.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study, including 24 patients suffering from bipolar disorders, aged 65 years or more and followed-up in outpatient psychiatry unit at Hedi Chaker university hospital in Sfax in Tunisia. We used a standardized questionnaire including socio-demographic, behavioral and clinical data. Age of onset was split at age 40 years into early-onset (< 40 years; n = 12) and late-onset (≥ 40 years; n = 12) groups.ResultsThe mean age for the entire sample was 68.95 years. The mean age of onset was 39.95 years. The majority (60%) of patients were diagnosed with bipolar I. Few meaningful differences emerged between early-onset and late-onset groups, except that tobacco use was significantly higher in the late-onset group (66.6% vs. 16.6%; P = 0.027). No significant differences between the early-onset and late-onset groups were seen on demographic variables, family history and number of medical diagnoses or presence of psychotic features.ConclusionOur study found few meaningful behavioral differences between early versus late age at onset in older adults with bipolar disorder.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Hongjia Xu ◽  
Weifeng Sun ◽  
Shuying Dai ◽  
Yanyan Cheng ◽  
Jing Zhao ◽  
...  

Purpose. To report on an improved botulinum toxin injection with conjunctival microincision for beginners, and to determine the effectiveness of botulinum toxin A (BTXA) in the treatment of patients with acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE). Methods. Medical records of 29 AACE patients were retrospectively analyzed. BTXA was injected into the unilateral or bilateral medial rectus muscle with conjunctival microincision without electromyographic guidance. Success was defined as total horizontal deviation ≤10 prism diopters (PD) and evidence of binocular vision. Results. Twenty-nine patients were included, of whom 22 were male and 7 were female. The mean age at onset was 14.2 ± 7.4 (range, 4–34) years. The mean time from onset of AACE to injection was 18.4 ± 20.3 (range, 1–96) weeks. All patients completed at least 6 months of follow-up, and the mean follow-up after BTXA injection was 12.3 ± 4.8 months (range, 7–24 months). Neurological evaluation and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were unremarkable in all patients. The mean spherical equivalent refraction was −1.22 ± 2.85D and −0.97 ± 2.80D in the right and left eyes, respectively. Mean preinjective esotropia was 38.4 ± 18.9 PD (range, +10–+80 PD) at near and 40.2 ± 17.7 PD (range, +20–+80 PD) at far distance. The mean angle of deviation at 6 months after injection was 0.6 ± 4.1 PD (range, −3–+15 PD) at near and 3.0 ± 5.9 PD (range, 0–+20 PD) at far distance. There was significant difference in the angle of deviation at near and far fixation between pre-BTXA and post-BTXA 6 months ( p < 0.001 , p < 0.001 , resp.). There was no significant difference in the angle of deviation at near and far fixation between post-BTXA 6 months and post-BTXA at final follow-up ( p  = 0.259 and 0.326, resp.). Mean stereoacuity improved from 338 to 88 arc seconds. During the follow-up period, 5 of 29 patients had recurrent esotropia. Two patients refused all further treatment, and the other 3 patients required incisional strabismus surgery. The success rates were 86.2% (25/29) at 6 months and 82.8% (24/29) at final follow-up. Conclusion. Conjunctival microincision injection of botulinum toxin is a practical and safe method for beginners to locate an extraocular muscle, which is as effective as the traditional methods. Botulinum toxin injection can be preferred as the first-line treatment for AACE patients with potential binocular vision.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s845-s845
Author(s):  
B. walid ◽  
I. Marrag ◽  
F. Ellouze ◽  
A. Dekhil ◽  
M. Nasr

IntroductionThe schizoaffective disorder is multifactorial. Several factors almost unquestioned, even indisputable, participate in the episodes’ decompensation and affect various fields: biological, pharmacological or neurobiochemical.ObjectivesDraw up the sociodemographic and clinical profile of patients treated for schizoaffective disorder and determine the role of life events in the onset of the disorder.MethodsThis is a retrospective study of 52 patients hospitalized in the psychiatric department of Mahdia diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder according to DSM-IV-TR during the period from January 2014 until June 2014. The information was collected using a preset sheet with 35 items.ResultsA total of 52 records was gathered. The average age was 38 years. The sample was predominantly male, of rural origin in 61.5% of cases. The level of education was low in 59.6% of cases. More than half were without profession and single in 46.2% of cases. The mean age at onset of the disorder was 25.2 years. The presence of life events preceding the onset of the disorder was noted in 22 patients, that to say, 42.3% of the sample. Family and emotional events were most frequently encountered with respective rates of 48.2 and 24.7%, followed by the professional events (20%) and social ones (6%).ConclusionLife events are due to chance but also to the environment. The complexity of the “event” concept was again underlined in a new perspective, breaking social rhythms.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


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