RESUMO Porcos tibetanos são caracterizados por diferenças fenotípicas significativas em relação aos porcos de planície. Nosso estudo anterior demonstrou que os genes CRYAB e CTGF eram expressos diferentemente nos tecidos do coração entre os porcos tibetanos (raça das terras altas) e Yorkshire (raça das terras baixas), indicando que eles poderiam participar da adaptação à hipoxia. CRYAB (ɑB-crystallin) e CTGF (fator de crescimento do tecido conjuntivo) também foram relatados como estando associados ao desenvolvimento pulmonar. Entretanto, os padrões de expressão do CRYAB e CTGF nos tecidos pulmonares em diferentes altitudes e sua caracterização genética não são bem compreendidos. Neste estudo, o qRT-PCR e a mancha ocidental de tecido pulmonar revelou níveis de expressão de CRYAB mais elevados em porcos tibetanos e Yorkshire de altitude e média altitude do que em seus pares de planície. Com um aumento na altitude, o nível de expressão do CTGF aumentou nos porcos tibetanos, enquanto diminuiu nos porcos Yorkshire. Além disso, foram identificados dois novos polimorfismos de um único nucleotídeo na região flanqueadora de CRYAB (g.39644482C>T e g.39644132T>C) e CTGF (g.31671748A>G e g.31671773T>G). O polimorfismo pode contribuir parcialmente com as diferenças nos níveis de expressão entre grupos a uma mesma altitude. Estas descobertas proporcionam novos conhecimentos sobre as adaptações de hipoxia a alta altitude dos porcos tibetanos.

ABSTRACT Tibetan pigs are characterized by significant phenotypic differences relative to lowland pigs. Our previous study demonstrated that the genes CRYAB and CTGF were differentially expressed in heart tissues between Tibetan (highland breed) and Yorkshire (lowland breed) pigs, indicating that they might participate in hypoxia adaptation. CRYAB (ɑB-crystallin) and CTGF (connective tissue growth factor) have also been reported to be associated with lung development. However, the expression patterns of CRYAB and CTGF in lung tissues at different altitudes and their genetic characterization are not well understood. In this study, qRT-PCR and western blot of lung tissue revealed higher CRYAB expression levels in highland and middle-highland Tibetan and Yorkshire pigs than in their lowland counterparts. With an increase in altitude, the expression level of CTGF increased in Tibetan pigs, whereas it decreased in Yorkshire pigs. Furthermore, two novel single-nucleotide polymorphism were identified in the 5′ flanking region of CRYAB (g.39644482C>T and g.39644132T>C) and CTGF (g.31671748A>G and g.31671773T>G). The polymorphism may partially contribute to the differences in expression levels between groups at the same altitude. These findings provide novel insights into the high-altitude hypoxia adaptations of Tibetan pigs.

OBJECTIVES: In the present study, a novel single knot tenorrhaphy was developed by combining the modified Kessler flexor tendon suture (MK) with the loop lock technique. METHODS: A total of 48 porcine flexor digitorum profundus tendons were collected and randomly divided into six groups. The tendons were transversely cut and then repaired using six different techniques, the MK method, double knot Kessler-loop lock flexor tendon suture (DK), and single knot Kessler-loop lock flexor tendon suture (SK), each in combination with the epitendinous suture (P), and the same three techniques without P. Furthermore, by performing the load-to-failure tests, the biomechanical properties and the time taken to complete a repair, for each tenorrhaphy, were assessed. RESULTS: Compared to the MK+P method, DK+P was more improved, thereby enhancing the ultimate tensile strength. The SK+P method, which required fewer knots than DK+P, was easier to perform. Moreover, the SK+P repair increased the force at a 2-mm gap formation, while requiring lesser knots than DK+P. CONCLUSION: As opposed to the traditional MK+P method, the SK+P method was improved and exhibited better biomechanical properties, which may facilitate early mobilization after the repair.

Abstract The antimicrobial effect of chitosan on Penicillium expansum, a major postharvest pathogen of pome fruit, and the possible mechanisms involved in its effect were examined in this study. Chitosan strongly inhibited spore germination and hyphal growth of P. expansum. Light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that chitosan also caused morphological changes in hyphae and conidia, such as abnormal branching and vacuolation. Proteomic changes in P. expansum after chitosan treatment were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, and 26 proteins were ambiguously identified and categorized based on their putative biological function. Proteins related to DNA or protein biosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism and energy production were decreased in relative protein abundance, while proteins involved in antibiotics resistance and defense response increased in relative protein abundance. Changes in abundance of these identified proteins were in accordance to the observed physiological and morphological changes of the fungi cells. Altogether, these experimental results provide a detailed illustration of the responses to chitosan in P. expansum, and widen our knowledge on the potential antifungal mechanisms of chitosan.

BACKGROUND: In the era of evidence-based medicine, haematological reference intervals are essential for the interpretation of data for clinical decision-making, monitoring of treatment and research. It is not uncommon that reference intervals used in most African countries have been obtained from published scientific literature, textbooks, reagent/instrument manuals. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine haematological reference intervals of healthy adults in Bamenda, Cameroon. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between June and November 2015. Participants were voluntary blood donors at the Blood Bank Service of the Regional Hospital Bamenda aged between 18 and 65 years. The mean, median and standard deviation of the mean were calculated for each haematological parameter. The 95th percentile reference intervals were determined using the 2.5th and 97.5th percentile. The differences between gender for all the parameters were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Significance was determined at the 95% confidence level. RESULTS: Out of a total of 340 participants, 202 (59.4%) were men and 138 (40.6%) were women. The median red blood cell, haemoglobin, haematocrit and mean cell haemoglobin concentration were significantly higher in men than women (p < 0.001). The median white blood cell, absolute lymphocytes count, absolute granulocytes and platelet counts for men were significantly lower than those for women (p < 0.011). CONCLUSION: We propose that the present established haematological reference intervals in this study should be used for clinical management of patients and interpretation of laboratory data for research in Bamenda.

Abstract. Pedicularis kansuensis is a dominating poisonous weed, and it might have allelopathic effects on other native grasses in alpine meadows. An experiment was conducted to examine a range of concentrations of aqueous whole plant extracts (25, 12.5, 2.5, 1.25, 0.25 and 0.0 g/L) of P. kansuensis, prepared at the flowering stage on seed germination and seedling growth of two native grasses (Poa pratensis and Elymus nutans). High concentrations of aqueous extracts of P. kansuensis inhibited seed germination and seedling growth of P. pratensis (p< 0.05). Most aqueous extracts of P. kansuensis had a stimulatory (p< 0.05) effect on E. nutans. Our results suggest that the allelopathic ecology of P. kansuensis on other native grasses needs further experiments.

Pedicularis kansuensis es una maleza venenosa dominante que puede tener efectos alelopáticos en gramíneas nativas de la pradera alpina. Se condujo un estudio para evaluar los efectos de un rango de concentraciones de extractos vegetales acuosos (0; 0,25; 1,25; 2,5; 12,5; 25 g/L), preparados en el estadio de floración, a escala de plantas de P. kansuensis sobre la germinación y el crecimiento de plántulas de dos especies de gramíneas nativas: Poa pratensis y Elymus nutans. La germinación y el crecimiento de plántulas de P. pratensis fue inhibido (p< 0,05) por altas concentraciones de los extractos acuosos de P. kansuensis. Sin embargo, la mayoría de los extractos acuosos de P. kansuensis tuvieron un efecto estimulante (p< 0,05) sobre E. nutans. Nuestros resultados sugieren que futuros estudios deben seguir investigando los efectos de los extractos acuosos de P. kansuensis sobre las especies de gramíneas nativas.